Soap-hanger



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EDMUND R'OENIUS, OF GRAND RAPIDS, VISCONSIN.

SOAP-HANGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,259, dated January 3, 1899.

Application filed December 10, 1897. Serial No. 661,430. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t nca/y concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND RoENIUs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Wood and State of Visconsin, have invented a new and useful Soap-Hanger, of which the followin gis a specication.

The invention relates to improvements in soap-hangers.

The object of the present invention is to iinprove the construction of devices for hanging soap and to provide a simple and inexpensive soap-hanger adapted to hold a cake of soap of any desired form in convenient position for ready use and of preventing the same from falling upon the floor or being carried away.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional viewof a soap-hanger constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the soap, the catch being removed. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the tube, cap, and washer separated. Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating the inanner of applying the catch to the tube of the soap. Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing a handle applied to the cake ofsoap.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several iigures of the drawings.

1 designates a cake of soap, preferably in the form of a ball, but any other desired shape may be employed, and the cake of soap is provided with a tube 2, around which it is molded and which is provided with an enlarged inner end 3, forming shoulders and serving as an anchor to prevent the tube from being withdrawn from the cake of soap. The tube, which extends from the center to the periphery of the soap, is provided at its inner end with an interior annular groove 4, adapted to be engaged byspring-arms 5 of a catch 6.

The spring-catch 6, which is constructed of a single piece of resilient metal, is provided at its top with an eye 7, formed by doubling Athe metal, and the sides or arms 5, which have their terminals S bent outward at right angles, are adapted to spring outward and engage the groove 4 of they tube. The catch is engaged by a disk or washer 9, located adjacent to the eye 7 and adapted `to'hold the same closed at the bottom; but l[he disk or washer 9 may be enlarged to form a knob or handle 10, as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

The engaging ends 8 of the arms 5 are retained in the groove of the tube by an elastic cap 1l, tting over the outer end of the tube and provided with an annular portion or plug 12, extending into the outer end of the said tube. The cap, which has its outer face curved, is provided with a central opening 13 to receive the catch, and itis compressed when the catch is engaged with the tube, whereby it exerts a constant outward pressure which serves to hold the ends 8 firmly in engagement with the groove. In Fig. 11 of the accompanying drawings the catch is illustrated in the act of being introduced into the tube, and the sides are compressed and adapted to spring into, engagement with the groove.

The eye of the catch is linked into one end of a chain 14, which passes over a sheave or pulley 15 of a bracket 16, and a weight 17 is attached to the other end of the chain and is adapted to counterbalance the weight of the soap and hold the cake normally elevated. The bracket is hollow or tubular and is designed to be secured to a wall or any other suitable support, the weight being concealed within the hollow or tubular portion,as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. The sheave orpulley is journaled at the upper end of the bracket, which is provided at its top with an opening for the passage of the chain, and at the bottom of the opening the bracket is provided with a curved flange or lip 18, presenting a lower concave face and adapted to be engaged by a ball or stop 19 to limit the upward movement of the soap. The lip or ange 18 is provided with a perforation to receive the chain, and Jthe ball or stop 19 is suitably secured to the latter.

The soap is heldin an elevated position by the weight and is always conveniently arranged for instant use', and when a cake of soap has been used up a new cake may be readily applied to the chain.

IOO

The invention has the following advantages: The soap-hanger is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, and it is adapted to be readily mounted on a Wall, Washstand, or other suitable support, and the bracket may, if desired, form a portion of such Washstand. The soap is prevented from collecting dirt through contact with a soapdish,washstand, or other supportingesurface, and it cannot slip from the hands of the user and fall upon the floor. The device also effects a saving of the soap and prevents the same from being lost or carried away, and it will be obvious that the device may be elnployed for hanging brushes, billiard-chalk, and various other articles.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacricing any of the advantages of this invention.

Vhat I claim is-` 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with supporting means, of a tube designed to be embedded in the article to be suspended, forming an anchor to engage the same and provided with an interior shoulder, a catch having spring-arms engaging the shoulder and connected with the supporting means, and a compressible elastic cap tittin g over the outer end of the tube and engaging the catch, whereby the arms are maintained firmly in engagement with the said shoulder, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination with supporting means, of a tube designed to be embedded in the article to be suspended, a catch connected with the supporting means and detachably engaging the tube, and an elastic compressible cap fitting over the outer end of the tube and engaging the catch, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with supporting means, of a tube having its lower end enlarged and provided with an interior groove, a catch engaging the groove and connected with the supporting means, and an elastic cap extending over and itting within the outer end of the tube, said cap being capable of being compressed and of engaging the catch, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with supporting means, of a tube designed to be embedded in the article to be suspended, a catch engaging the tube and connected with the supporting means, an elastic compressible cap arranged at the outer end of the tube, and a knob or handle mounted on the outer portion of the catch, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDMUND ROENIUS.

Witnesses: p

JOHN A. GAYNoR, THos. L. DRIscoL. 

